EPDs

Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) are standardized documents that communicate verifiable information about the environmental performance of a product or service throughout its life cycle. They are Type III environmental declarations defined by ISO 14025 and used to provide transparent, comparable data to stakeholders. An EPD is produced according to a Product Category Rule (PCR), which specifies the rules for data collection, life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology, and how results are presented. PCRs are developed by industry groups, standard bodies, or certifiers and aim to ensure consistency across products within a category. In Europe, EN 15804 is a common framework for construction products, while ISO 21930 applies more broadly to building products outside Europe.

Methodology: An EPD summarizes LCA results for a defined functional unit, often per unit of product or per performance unit. The life cycle stages typically include cradle-to-grave or cradle-to-gate, and sometimes cradle-to-cradle. Result indicators usually include environmental impact categories such as global warming potential, ozone depletion potential, acidification, eutrophication, photochemical ozone formation, as well as resource use, water use, and waste generation, along with other indicators as defined by the PCR. Data are verified by an independent third party before the EPD is published.

Uses: EPDs are used in green building rating systems (e.g., LEED, BREEAM), procurement, product development, and supply chain communications to support life cycle thinking. They enable apples-to-apples comparisons of products that share the same PCR, but differences in PCR scope or system boundary can limit comparability.

Limitations: An EPD reflects the product’s life cycle assumptions and does not necessarily represent actual performance during use or end-of-life outcomes. It is not a marketing claim, and comparisons should be restricted to products within the same PCR and declared unit.